Family Matters
by anotherredhead
Summary: Matt and Kitty must tell Laura the truth about her identity and their plans for marriage. A sequel to "Revelations."
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** I received several requests to write a sequel to "Revelations," and this story picks up exactly where that one left off with Kitty, Matt, and Laura at the hotel in St. Louis. As before, I created my fantasy onscreen reunion movie since the powers that be did not. I don't own any characters except the ones I made up. And Happy Birthday Miss Amanda Blake.

Family Matters

Chapter 1

Kitty sat on the edge of the bed next to her sleeping daughter, gently stroking her hair. It had been mere hours since she had followed those bloodcurdling screams to the home where Laura's life was in danger, but it felt like days. Now her precious child lay in peaceful slumber, looking like an angel, oblivious that her entire life was about to change.

Kitty extended her left hand and stared at the ruby ring on her fourth finger. It was her favorite ring, usually worn on her right hand, but they had decided to use it as a placeholder until he could buy her one himself. A perfect circle, no beginning and no end, symbolizing a union that is unbroken and everlasting. She still could hardly believe this was happening, an unexpected turn of events that was both sudden and yet had taken a lifetime. She was finally going to be Matt Dillon's wife, proudly and publically, their love on open display for the world to see. No more secrets or hiding the truth, from each other or anyone else. For the first time in her almost sixty years, Kitty Russell was going to be part of a family that society considered normal.

Her stomach was twisted in knots as Laura began to stir. The girl had been through so much and had finally gotten some needed rest, almost certainly expecting that today they would say goodbye to the brave man who had rescued her and head home to New Orleans. How would she take the news that this man she had heard about for so many years was not only her biological father, but was about to become her legal father as well? Would she resent Kitty for keeping this from her—and from him—for so long?

Laura's eyes fluttered open and she stretched hard, relishing the benefits of a good night's sleep in a safe environment. She'd had only one dream that she remembered, bolting straight up in bed at the sound of the gunshot. Heart pounding, she had scanned the room to see her mother lying next to her, and after a deep breath she had calmed her nerves and fallen back to sleep.

"Good morning, sunshine," Kitty cooed as she continued to stroke Laura's hair. It felt good, and Laura smiled groggily. "Hi Mama," she croaked in her morning voice.

"How are you feeling?" Kitty asked.

"I'm okay," she replied, surprised that she actually meant it. There was nothing more comforting or reassuring than a mother's touch.

"Are you hungry?" her mother asked hopefully, knowing she had barely eaten a thing the day before. Laura shrugged. "I guess I could eat a little something," she decided. "And some coffee would be heavenly. Good coffee, not that Chester coffee."

Kitty chuckled. She could already see glimpses of the old Laura, sweet-natured and funny, and she couldn't be more relieved. "Why don't I order us some room service?" she suggested. "I could use some good coffee myself."

The Berlin Hotel was equipped with telephones, and Kitty placed an order for eggs, croissants, jam, and plenty of coffee. Laura took her time getting up, then slipped into one of the two dresses she had been alternating during her ill-fated week with Gil Cloyd. She sniffed her underarms and grimaced. "I cannot _wait_ to get home and put on some clean clothes," she announced with an air of disgust. "What time does our train leave?"

A knock at the door saved Kitty from answering. "Oh, there's breakfast," she stalled. "Let's eat and then we'll figure it out." She had no idea how Laura was going to react to her announcements and wanted to make sure she ate something first. Kitty pulled out a chair from the small table in the corner of the room and uncovered the tray. Everything looked and smelled wonderful, especially the coffee. She poured two cups and motioned for her daughter to have a seat. Laura happily obliged, taking a big gulp of the brew before even looking at the food.

"Oh, that's good," she sighed, closing her eyes. Kitty heaped a pile of eggs onto each plate and they began the pleasant task of emptying the tray, bite by bite. Kitty kept the conversation light, determined that they would both keep their appetites throughout the meal. They chatted about St. Louis and how it differed from New Orleans, with Kitty telling her of the vacation she had taken there long ago while keeping the details purposely vague. The clock on the wall read 10:20am when the last bite was gone, and Kitty wondered how Matt had been passing the time all morning. He typically awoke early and was surely as nervous as she was about how this day would go. They had agreed that Kitty would first talk to Laura alone and then decide how to proceed if that went well. The travel plans back to Dodge they would play by ear.

Laura tipped her cup and swallowed the last drop of coffee. "I am _so_ full," she declared, setting the cup on the table. "Can we look at a train schedule now? The front desk probably has one."

Kitty knew she couldn't stall any longer. "Laura, Honey, I need to talk to you about something," she began seriously. Laura frowned. "Is something wrong, Mama?"

"No, not wrong," she replied quickly. "In fact, this is good news. I mean, I think it is, or I hope it is, and—well, it's a long story and I need for you to understand why certain things have happened." Kitty stopped, realizing that this was coming out a jumbled mess, not at all like it sounded in her head.

"What are you trying to say?" Laura asked, slightly alarmed. She didn't have a clue what her mother was talking about.

Kitty bit her lip and started over. "You know that Matt—um, Marshal Dillon, was a good friend of mine in Dodge City." Laura nodded. "Of course, you've told me all about him."

"Well, the truth is, I didn't tell you everything. We were more than friends—much more."

Laura arched an eyebrow, an expression that made her look exactly like her mother. "You mean, you were…lovers?"

"Yes, we were. For many years."

Laura silently took in this new information. Her mother had always been tight-lipped about her early personal life, and Laura never understood why. She was so candid about everything else.

"How many years?" Laura wondered.

"Well, I met him my first day in Dodge," Kitty explained. "In fact, he was the sole reason I decided to stay in Dodge. We were instantly attracted to each other, but our lives were complicated in different ways and we were only friends at first. It didn't take long to turn into something else, and we were together the whole time I lived there."

"But weren't you there twenty years?" Laura gasped, her eyes growing wide. That was longer than she had been alive. Why would her mother keep such a large part of her life a secret?

"Almost-nineteen years, to be exact," Kitty told her.

"What happened?" she asked. "I mean, that's a long time to be with someone. Did you just fall out of love?"

Kitty shook her head. "Oh no, not at all. I still loved him when I left, desperately so. It was a difficult situation, Laura. We couldn't have a normal relationship. He had a dangerous job, and he didn't think it was fair to have a family under those circumstances. There was a lot more to it, but I finally decided I couldn't live like that anymore, not knowing if we would ever have a real life together. So I left. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done."

Laura could sympathize. It was in no way a similar situation, but she had recently discovered the gut wrenching effects of love lost and felt genuinely sad for her mother. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Mama. Did you stay in touch with him?"

"No, I couldn't." Kitty answered. "It was just best not to." She would get to that part later.

Laura pondered for a few seconds. "But he must still care about you, because he helped you to find me," she deduced.

"He does," Kitty confirmed. "In fact...we've discovered over the past few days together that our feelings for each other never really changed. He was the love of my life, and I never got over him. It turns out, after all these years, that he feels the same way." Kitty stopped and took Laura's hands in hers. "Honey, he has asked me to marry him."

Laura's mouth flew open. "_Marry_ you? What did you say?"

"I said yes," Kitty admitted. "I should have talked to you first, and I'm sorry about that. It just happened, and it felt right…we both really want this, Honey. We'd like to go to Dodge from here and have a small ceremony with our friends there. And then…he's willing to move to New Orleans with us."

Laura inhaled deeply and blew out a big breath. This was quite a shock, and she needed time to absorb it. Marshal Dillon was no doubt a good man, and she could certainly understand her mother's attraction to him. She could tell that he had been strikingly handsome in his younger days, and he still exuded masculinity. Her mother was a strong woman and this seemed exactly the type of man she would fall in love with. It made sense now, her mother's tepid interest in other men. None of her suitors in New Orleans had measured up to Matt Dillon, in any sense of the word.

Kitty was treading lightly, aware that she had just made it through the less shocking of her two announcements. She had decided to start with that and work up to the rest, wondering if Laura would put the pieces of the puzzle together before she got there. She searched her daughter's face for some hint of reaction and saw only the expected expression of surprise. She knew this was a lot to take in.

"Please tell me what you're thinking," Kitty prodded gently. "I—we—don't want to do anything that isn't in your best interest, Laura. We don't have to do anything right now, not if you need more time."

Laura ran a hand through her thick mane of red hair. "I don't know, Mama. It's always been just the two of us, and this has happened so fast. It's a big change and I'm not sure how I feel yet. Of course I want you to be happy, and I've always wondered what it would be like to have a fa…ther." She faltered on the last word, a sudden thought occurring. Numbers began running through her head, the young age her mother had once mentioned leaving New Orleans, plus nineteen years in Dodge, plus nine months. It was adding up, and she stared at Kitty in disbelief before finally finding her voice. "Is Matt Dillon my father?"

Kitty felt every nerve pulse through her body at once. She had been preparing for this revelation in some ways for the better part of fifteen years, but she couldn't have felt more ill-prepared than she did at this moment. All of her practiced words, her convincing explanations, failed her miserably. She could only manage a weak nod.

Laura jumped up and put a hand on her forehead, unsure which emotion to express first. She was not feeling particularly rational and the famous Russell temper took over. "Why didn't you tell me?" she screamed. "You let me think my father was a..a _nobody_ all these years, some brief fling who didn't matter. And all the while, telling me stories about your 'friends' in Dodge City and the legendary Marshal Dillon. How could you lie to me like that? Giving me a hero to look up to, and not telling me that it was my own father! How can I ever trust you again?" Her voice was shaky and her face was growing red with anger.

Kitty stood up and tried to put her arm around her daughter, only to be pushed away. "And what about _him_?" Laura continued, unaffected by the gesture. "Did he not care enough about me to even be curious what I looked like? Not one visit or even a letter in all these years? What kind of a husband do you think he's going to be when he has made no effort to be a father?" She was practically spitting the words. Kitty shook her head as tears pooled in her eyes.

"Don't blame him, Laura, blame me. He didn't neglect you, Honey—he didn't even know about you until yesterday. I left Dodge before I knew I was pregnant. I never told him."

Laura felt her insides explode at this confession, feeling out of control and afraid of what she might do. They were trapped together in this tiny room, no stairs to dramatically ascend before slamming her bedroom door like their recent arguments at home over Gil. She had no idea where she was going, but she had to get out of there. Laura grabbed her handbag and ran off without a word.

Kitty found herself alone, feeling the sting of her daughter's words and actions with not a clue how to handle them. She did the only thing she knew to do, hurrying across the hall and knocking rapidly on the door. Matt had been up for hours, waiting, wondering what was happening with his soon-to-be wife and daughter. He opened the door and she fell into his arms, sobbing with her face buried in his chest. "Oh Matt," she wailed. "I've made such a mess of things."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Family Matters

Chapter 2

Matt Dillon sat patiently at a table near the window, working on his third cup of coffee. The lunch rush was just beginning at The Berlin Hotel restaurant, and he had ordered a sandwich just so he wasn't tying up a table for a nickel's worth of business. He wasn't particularly hungry but managed to take a few bites.

He had combed the streets of downtown St. Louis looking for Laura, giving up after the first hour. The sprawling area was filled with shops and businesses, too many for one person to search. He was confident that she just needed some time alone and would come back when she was ready. Matt figured he had all the time in the world, and so he would wait. There was much he had to say to her, and he hoped she would be willing to listen. Long talks involving personal information and feelings were hardly his forte, but it was the least he could do for Kitty.

From his window view, he spied a head of fiery red hair slowly approaching the front door. As she got closer he again marveled at her perfect features, her porcelain skin, her confident demeanor. Except for a few inches in height, she was young Kitty Russell's twin. He quickly reached into his pocket and tossed some money onto the table before heading into the lobby. When Laura walked in, she found herself standing face to face with her father.

"Hello, Laura," Matt said with a quiet somberness. Laura stared at the floor as though she hadn't an inkling what to say, a situation she rarely experienced. "I understand that you're upset, and I'd like for us to talk if you're feeling up to it," he continued. Laura looked into the eyes of the man she had just met a day earlier, a man who had both unknowingly given her life and then knowingly saved it without hesitation. His expression was kind and sincere, and she felt oddly drawn to him. She nodded without speaking.

They rode the elevator up to his room, the only private place in the hotel for them to talk, in awkward silence. He motioned for her to sit in the chair next to his bed, and he took a seat on the edge of the mattress facing her. "Your mother told me about your conversation this morning," he began. "I know you must have a lot of questions, and I have a lot to tell you. Do you want to start, or shall I?"

Laura shrugged self-consciously. She did have questions, a million of them, but somehow she was drawing a blank. "You can start," she finally offered.

Matt took a deep breath. "Very well. As your mother told you, I didn't know I had a daughter until yesterday. I didn't even know while I was helping her look for you—not until I actually saw you. So you do understand that I did not choose to be absent from your life." Laura nodded affirmatively.

"I only take one exception to everything your mother said. She told you to blame her for my not knowing about you. I'm telling you to blame me."

Laura looked puzzled. "Why should I blame you when she's the one who kept it from us?"

Matt prepared to give the speech he had rehearsed over coffee, his first speech as a father. He'd better not blow it.

"Laura, I know it's painful, but think about what happened to you over the past week. When you left New Orleans with Gil Cloyd, were you absolutely convinced that you were doing the right thing?"

Ouch. This was supposed to be about Kitty's actions, not hers, and she wasn't expecting that to come up. Reluctantly, she answered. "Yes."

"You weren't trying to be selfish, you weren't doing it out of spite or anger—you were truly doing what you thought was best for your life, weren't you? You made a mistake." She again nodded, looking down at the floor. Mistake was putting it mildly, and it was embarrassing to admit.

"Your mother did what she thought was right too, and I'm telling you she had some pretty good reasons for doing it. They were not selfish reasons, if anything it was the most unselfish thing she has ever done."

Laura looked him in the eye, suddenly finding her voice and feeling betrayed that he would think such a thing. "How can you say that?" she challenged. "What is so unselfish about not telling a man that he has a daughter?"

Matt sighed, wondering if it was even possible to explain the complicated dynamics of a nineteen-year relationship to a fifteen-year-old girl when there were times he could barely explain it to himself. Still, he had to try and make her understand.

"Laura, things were different back then. I was married to my job and had no room in my life for a family, and I'm afraid I made that painfully clear to her. I loved your mother more than I could have loved anyone, but I wasn't ready to be a husband or father. I look back on it now and it sounds selfish and immature, but that was my reality. Had I known she was pregnant, I absolutely would have quit that job and moved to New Orleans to do right by the both of you, make no mistake about that. But Kitty Russell is not the type of woman who lets a man take care of her out of obligation, even if it makes things easier on her. You know that. She thought I would end up resenting both of you for getting trapped in a life I didn't want, and truthfully, she may have been right. We'll never know for sure how things might have turned out, but what I do know is that if there is any blame to assign, it's on me. She was only thinking about what was best for the people she loved."

Laura frowned and bit her lip. She could begin to understand her mother's dilemma, even if she wasn't quite ready to forgive.

"I'm going to tell you something else," he went on, feeling as though he may be getting through to her. "My job was filled with vengeful criminals who knew that the best way to get back at me was to harm the people I loved. Your mother knew that better than anyone because she was a victim of that revenge. I'm not going to get into specifics because she wouldn't want that, but she suffered a great deal and part of me will never get over what was done to her because I loved her. She had to protect you, Laura, and in doing so, in a way, she protected me too. I don't think I can ever repay her for that."

Laura swallowed hard. She had seen scars on her mother's body as she was undressing and once asked what caused them. "An accident," Kitty had said curtly. "Nothing for you to be concerned about." Laura was still confused and wanted more answers, but one thing she knew for certain—her mother was a remarkable woman who deserved a better hand than life had dealt her, and the last thing she needed was a daughter who ridiculed her for her sacrifices. She could ask her questions later.

"Thank you, Mr. Dillon," she said formally, softly, unable to call him anything else for now. "I think I need to talk to my mother." Matt could tell from the tone of her voice that she was not angry, quite the contrary. They stood up at the same time, and he escorted her across the hall. Kitty answered the knock with red, swollen eyes that told that spoke to her anguish. Laura threw her arms around her mother's neck and squeezed tightly, not saying a word. Kitty looked at Matt gratefully and opened one arm, inviting him to make this their first true family hug.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Family Matters

Chapter 3

The morning train departed at a ridiculous hour by Russell standards, but neither woman was complaining. After everything she had been through, Laura was not sorry to be putting hundreds of miles between herself and St. Louis. The extra day at the hotel had helped them to explore their budding family dynamic, but it was time to go home-after a little side trip. Kitty was both grateful and proud that her daughter had ultimately handled a difficult situation with such maturity, and as a result they were soon to be on their way to Dodge City for a wedding. Their friends were going to be in for the surprise of their lives.

As they settled into their seats for the long voyage, Matt reached into his bag and pulled out a book he had bought in the station while Kitty and Laura were answering the call of nature. _Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave_ was his favorite biography, and learning that he and his daughter shared an interest in history he thought it might be a welcome way for her to pass the considerable time of the trip. He handed Laura the book, ever mindful that their relationship was in its infancy and careful not to come across as too parental or overbearing. "I thought you might enjoy something to read on the train," he said in a way that indicated this was merely a suggestion. "You don't have to, of course, or if you've already read it—"

"No, I haven't," she interrupted, taking the book with a smile. "Thank you. That was very thoughtful."

Kitty gave Matt a loving look of approval. He was clearly balancing his roles of father and newcomer to the family quite well.

Laura stared out the window as the train slowly pulled away from the station. In a few hours they would be in Dodge City, Kansas, a place famous for outlaws and heroes, where countless wagon trains had endured cold winters and hot summers along the Santa Fe Trail…where her parents had met and fallen in love. It was such a foreign phrase to her, one that was going to take some practice. _My parents_. A part of her was anxious at the thought of the coming changes, no longer just the women sharing a home together, doing womanly things and making their own decisions. She had never lived with a man before, not unless the past week with Gil counted, and she had decided it most certainly did not. In fact, after getting to know Matt Dillon for a grand total of two days, she wasn't inclined to consider Gil Cloyd a man at all.

"Will my name change?" Laura blurted out, breaking a brief silence as the thought suddenly occurred to her.

"What?" Kitty asked, caught off guard.

"My last name," she expounded. "You're getting married, so you will be Mrs. Dillon. Will I be Laura Dillon?"

Kitty and Matt glanced at each other quizzically, having not considered that little detail. "Would you mind changing your name?" Kitty wondered. Laura wasn't quite sure of her answer, but she didn't want to offend her father. "You can be honest," he prodded, sensing her hesitation. "You've been a Russell your whole life, I understand if you're not particularly keen on the idea of changing that. It's your decision."

"Oh, I'm not saying that," she responded quickly. "I really haven't had a chance to think about it. I guess I was just wondering." Her mother had always treated her as though her opinions mattered, and Laura was pleased that Matt Dillon seemed to be the same kind of parent. Some of her friends seemed to live in dictatorships, and she could only imagine how their fathers would react. How many men would allow their daughters to decide their own last name? The idea of living with a man—at least this man—was beginning to sound less scary to her.

It was a clear, sunny autumn day as the train chugged along at full speed toward a short layover in Kansas City. Kitty and Matt sat side by side sharing sections of _The St. Louis Republic_ newspaper, while Laura read her book directly across from them. She had become engrossed in the autobiography during the first few pages, knowing the story from history class but finding it even more interesting from a first person perspective. It was still hard for her to believe that something as barbaric as slavery had actually existed in her mother's lifetime. Men of color were not only free but had the right to vote now, and she wondered if that same right would ever apply to women. Perhaps someday her children or grandchildren would be just as appalled at that historic injustice as she was about slavery.

The stop in Kansas City was brief, just long enough to load and unload passengers. Dining cars made it possible to keep layovers at a minimum during long journeys, a convenience most travelers appreciated. As the train once again pulled out of the station, Laura sat her book down and watched through the window as Missouri turned into the plains of Kansas. She hadn't known there was that much corn in the whole world.

"Where are we staying in Dodge?" she asked out of curiosity.

"I suppose we'll get rooms at The Dodge House," Kitty replied casually.

It sounded like a nice place, she thought. "Is The Dodge House downtown? I'd like to be close to everything in the city since it's my first trip there."

Matt and Kitty looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Oh, it's close to everything," Matt assured her.

"What's so funny?" Laura wondered.

Kitty put her paper down and gave her daughter an affectionate pat on the knee. "Honey, you'll practically be able to see the whole city from your hotel window. Dodge is nothing like New Orleans. Downtown is one street."

"Everyone lives on ONE street?" Laura marveled, wide-eyed. She couldn't even imagine a town that small.

Matt chuckled. This girl really had no idea what life was like outside the big city. "No, most of the townsfolk live on farms and ranches surrounding Dodge. But Front Street is the center of town, where you'll find all the businesses and services—stores and shops, the post office and bank, restaurants, saloons, hotels and boarding houses. Pretty much everything a person needs is a short walk down Front Street."

That sounded a little less shocking, but Laura was still having trouble envisioning a one-street downtown. She was becoming more and more curious about this place her mother had called home for so many years.

"Do you still have friends there?" she asked Kitty.

"Yes, quite a few," Kitty replied. "Of course some have died or moved on, but many people I knew in Dodge are still there. I was very touched that they all came to The Long Branch to see me again."

Matt put his hand over Kitty's and squeezed. "Laura, your mother was always one of the most popular people in town. Everybody was thrilled to see her."

Laura smiled. "I'm very interested to meet them all."

Matt pensively rubbed the stubble on his chin, trying to imagine the town's reaction upon seeing Laura Russell. "Well, I'm quite sure they'll be interested to meet you too." Laura couldn't help but note his tone of amusement. "Does anyone there know about me?"

Matt chuckled and shook his head. "Not yet," he informed her. "A couple of our good friends are supposed to meet us at the station, and I asked them to bring a rig big enough to fit three people. This might be the most excitement Dodge City has seen in a long time."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Family Matters

Chapter 4

"What time is it?" Festus asked anxiously as Newly made a point not to check his pocket watch. "About two minutes since the last time you asked," he responded dryly.

"Well that dadblamed train sure is takin' its own sweet time," he mumbled to himself. Festus Haggen had never been a lesson in patience.

"It'll be here any minute," Newly assured him. He had no longer spoken the words than a loud whistle blew in the distance.

"That's gotta be them!" Festus announced excitedly. "Now why on earth do you figure Matthew needs a rig for three people?" he wondered aloud for at least the fifth time since Newly had told him about the wire from St. Louis.

"Well, I suppose we'll find out shortly," Newly responded, grateful that the mystery was soon to be solved. Festus had been driving him crazy with questions and speculation, though truthfully he was just as curious. They both wanted to believe that good news awaited them at the station, but history told them to be cautious. There had definitely been sparks in Dodge last week, yet Kitty had seemed upset and preoccupied when she abruptly left for St. Louis. Matt had not said a word, but it could not be a coincidence that he had ended up in the same city. Surely the trips were related, but how? And if Kitty was coming home with him as they hoped, who could this third person be? The whole situation was unsettling.

The train finally screeched to a halt inside the station, and weary travelers soon began to disembark. Festus and Newly scanned each exit for familiar faces. "There's Matthew!" Festus shouted as he spotted a tall mop of curly gray hair, a small bag hanging from one shoulder and a larger one in each hand. Kitty Russell held the rails and carefully stepped down behind him, looking quite content and not the least bit distressed. The men simultaneously burst into grins from ear to ear, and Festus poked Newly's arm with his elbow.

"What'd I tell you, Newly? Why there ain't nothin' wrong, them two look happier'n a pig in mud. I don't know why you was so worried." Newly rolled his eyes and started waving to get their attention. Matt saw him and waved back, but Kitty had turned her back to them and was now facing the train. They watched as she reached up to take the hand of a young lady and help her down the three steep stairs. Grins of joy slowly turned to open-mouthed confusion. The girl standing next to Kitty Russell looked exactly like a younger, taller version of their beautiful redheaded friend.

Festus was seldom rendered speechless, but he couldn't make a sound as the threesome approached. Newly had at least closed his mouth and was eagerly waiting for an introduction. Matt dropped a bag and firmly shook Newly's hand, then gave Festus a pat on the shoulder. "Thanks for coming, Fellas. I'd like to introduce you to someone," he said, gesturing toward the young lady. "This is Miss Laura Russell. Laura, this is Marshal Newly O'Brien and my former deputy, Mr. Festus Haggen."

Newly tipped his hat and nodded. Festus started to reply but the first word came out in an odd croak. He quickly cleared his throat and began again. "Pleased to meetcha, Miss…Russell, is it?" Kitty snickered at his polite attempt at proper protocol under the circumstances.

"It's nice to meet you too Mr. Haggen, Marshal," Laura returned. "I've heard so much about you."

Newly wished he could say the same. There was a silent pause as everyone wondered exactly how to proceed. Kitty decided it was time to start explaining.

"Newly, Festus...Laura is my daughter," she said bluntly. Kitty figured they had probably already reached that conclusion, as most people did when they saw the two together. Matt waited for the revelation that promised to be an even bigger surprise. Kitty took a deep breath and hooked her arm through his. "The fact is, she's not just my daughter…she's _our_ daughter. Mine and Matt's."

Newly subtly raised his eyebrows, doing a respectable job of hiding his complete shock, but Festus's mouth was running ahead of his brain. He couldn't help but quiz down the man who had been like a brother to him ever since he had moved to Dodge almost thirty years ago. "You mean to tell me that you've had a young'un all these years and didn't say nary a peep to nobody about it?" His words sounded harsher than he intended, and Matt instantly sensed Kitty's discomfort. As much as she wanted them to meet Laura, she knew how the situation might appear to her friends once they knew the truth. What if they didn't understand? It was a delicate subject.

"Well Festus, it's a long story and I'm afraid we're all too tired to go into it now," Matt replied, nicely but firmly. "I think we'd better head on over to The Dodge House and call it an evening. How about we all get together for dinner tomorrow? My treat."

"Sounds good to me," said Newly, taking the hint. "Festus brought a rig over for you, and I'll take him home in mine."

"Thanks Festus, we appreciate it," Kitty said warmly to the scruffy man with the befuddled expression. She didn't want him to feel badly about his premature but understandable comment.

"Sure thang, Miss Kitty," he replied, dying to find out if this meant that Matt and Kitty were back together but getting the distinct impression that this wasn't a good time for questions . He picked up the bag Matt had set down and the group headed out of the train station together.

Matt heaved the bags into the back of the spacious rig and helped Kitty and Laura into the front seat. "We'll meet you at Delmonico's tomorrow—say around five?"

"We'll be there," Newly affirmed. "Looking forward to it."

"We'll be there, sure as rain," Festus chimed in. Matt felt slightly guilty, knowing that Festus had meant no harm with his ill-worded query. This was huge news, and it was only natural for their friends to be curious about the details. He decided to leave them on a more upbeat note.

"Fine," Matt said jovially as he climbed into the rig and sat next to his fiancée. "Oh, say Fellas, can you send a wire to Judge Maddox tomorrow and find out when he's available for a short trip to Dodge?"

"Certainly," Newly nodded. Judge Maddox had succeeded Judge Brooker in Hays City, and both Newly and Matt knew him well. "Why do you need the judge, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, nothing important," Matt replied casually. "I just thought it would be nice if one of my friends could perform the wedding."

"The _what_?" Festus exclaimed.

"That's right," he beamed, squeezing Kitty's hand. "After the longest courtship in history, this beautiful lady has agreed to marry me."

"Well, congratulations to you both!" Newly offered heartily. "Matt, Miss Kitty, that's the best news I've heard in a long time."

"Me too," Matt responded lightly, though he was completely serious. Kitty smiled and put her free arm around her daughter. "We'll talk more tomorrow fellas, I promise," she called out as Matt snapped the reins and sent their horse trotting toward The Dodge House.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Family Matters

Chapter 5

The sleeping arrangements at The Dodge House were the same as they had been at The Berlin Hotel in St. Louis. Kitty and Laura shared a double room, and Matt took a single for himself. They would certainly be more comfortable there than on the old twin beds at his house that even Festus, a man used to a thin cot, had complained about on occasion. Besides, Laura wanted to be "downtown"-Matt still got a good laugh out of that. He would check on his place later and thank the neighbor who had graciously been feeding the animals in his absence. Maybe he would take the girls out there with him after breakfast, if Laura was interested. She had been perfectly lovely to him in the whole three days he had known her, but he was still feeling his way around this new role and didn't want to seem pushy. A man couldn't expect to just step in after fifteen years and be treated like a father, no matter the circumstances.

It was almost 9am, and the Russells were predictably still in bed. Matt had gotten used to spending quite a bit of morning time alone back in the early days of his relationship with Kitty, and he could already tell that his daughter kept the same schedule. He had decided to try out the plush new furniture in the hotel lobby and take advantage of the complimentary coffee and newspaper until they awoke. He had no sooner finished reading the last page than he heard two sets of footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Good morning," Kitty chirped as he laid down his newspaper and stood to greet them. "Well you're up early," he quipped as they headed toward him. Matt couldn't help but notice how rested and inviting his future bride looked in her emerald green dress and light, natural makeup, and he instinctively reached down to give her a peck on the lips. It was hardly a lavish display of affection, but Laura winced nonetheless. Though she was happy for her mother, no teenager wanted to think of her parents that way. She pretended not to see it.

"I thought we'd go to the café next door and get some breakfast," Matt suggested.

Kitty nodded. "Matt, what do you think the chances are that Festus hasn't told the entire town about…this?" she asked, waving her hand in a circle that encompassed the three of them.

Matt sighed. "Slim to none would be my guess," he joked. He motioned toward the door and they headed outside for their first public appearance as a family. Laura stopped on the sidewalk and took her first good look at Front Street in daylight. It was busy by Dodge standards, but certainly not by New Orleans. "So…this is it," she stated, an acknowledgment instead of a question.

"This is it," Kitty reiterated. "This is where I grew up, so to speak. At least that's how it feels." Puffy white clouds hung in the distance, surrounded by deep blue sky and bright rays of morning sun. Laura inhaled the fresh autumn air. "It's very pretty. I like it," she announced approvingly.

Matt smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. I like it too." This had been home for most of his life, and he had not yet fully processed the fact that he was going to be leaving. Not forever, but for a good while. The reason he was leaving filled his heart with happiness, but leaving itself would be bittersweet.

"We'll give you the full tour after breakfast," Kitty told her as they headed into the café. There were several tables open and they chose one toward the back. "Marshal Dillon!" yelled a young man in the corner just as Matt was taking his seat. He hurried over to the table, clearly eager to say something.

"Well hello, Bill," Matt said cheerfully. He was a handsome lad, with steel blue eyes and blond curls poking out from underneath his hat. "Kitty, you remember Bill Creighton, Walter's boy."

Kitty searched her memory, knowing the name sounded familiar. "Little Billy Creighton?" she managed after a few seconds. "Why, you weren't more than six or seven last time I saw you!"

"Yes Ma'am," he replied, smiling. "I heard you and the marshal were getting married, and I just wanted to wish you all the best."

"Word travels fast," Kitty mumbled under her breath. She wondered what else he had heard.

"Thanks Bill, we sure do appreciate it," Matt offered. "Bill, this is Laura Russell, Kitty's—um, our—daughter."

Bill didn't seem particularly surprised at the words. He focused his attention on the stunning young redhead seated next to the marshal and quickly removed his hat. "It's very nice to meet you, Miss Russell," he said enthusiastically—a little _too_ enthusiastically in Matt's opinion. The big man gave young Bill a not so subtle look of disapproval. "Well, we have a lot to do today so we should probably get to ordering breakfast," he hinted. Kitty bit her lip to keep from laughing and suddenly felt sorry for any boy who would ever be interested in Laura Russell.

"Yes'm" Bill offered quietly, returning his hat to its proper place and heading back to his table. A busy waiter appeared with a large pot of coffee and was preparing to announce the specials when he recognized his customer. "Mister Dillon! I hear congratulations are in order!"

Kitty and Matt gave each other bemused looks. "Kitty, Russell, this is Ted Kitteridge," Matt introduced. Ted had moved to town as a young man shortly after Kitty had left, and Matt had become a valued mentor to him over the years. "And this is our daughter, Laura Russell," Matt continued. He searched Ted's face for a reaction but saw nothing resembling shock. He wasn't sure exactly what Festus was telling people, but part of him was relieved that no explanations seemed to be required-at least not right now. He was getting more comfortable each time he said the words—"our daughter."

"Pleased to meet you Ted," Kitty said pleasantly. Laura smiled and nodded, wondering if the whole day would be like this. Was there anyone in this town who wasn't interested in the personal life of Matt Dillon?

"I've sure heard a lot about you, Miss Russell," Ted fervently told Kitty, who wasn't quite sure how to take that statement. "All good things, of course," he quickly added. "I mean, people still talk about how you were the only woman the marshal ever..." Ted stopped, realizing that his excited ramblings were embarrassing the famously private man. He wanted to crawl under the table.

"How did you hear about the wedding?" Kitty inquired, mercifully changing the subject. "Did you run into Festus?"

"No, I heard it from Tom Sparkman when he came in for breakfast," he informed them. "Tom said Mrs. Stamler told him about it at The General Store this morning." Matt rolled his eyes and Kitty chuckled. They clearly needn't worry about how to break this news-it had spread like fleas on a prairie dog, to use one of Festus's expressions.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Family Matters

Chapter 6

Laura took in every detail of her mother's former home as the trio wandered down Front Street. Many of Kitty's descriptions began with "This used to be," since quite a few businesses had changed hands in sixteen years. "Marshal O'Brien was a gunsmith when he first moved to Dodge," she explained as they passed the leather goods store where his place had been.

The dress shop next door hadn't changed much and boasted the latest fashions, some on display through the front window. "Oh Mama, can I get one?" Laura pleaded, eyeing a bright yellow and brown pattern that looked like it might have been inspired by Kansas sunflowers. "Don't worry, we'll both be shopping here soon," Kitty promised, thinking of a certain special event in their near future. It was tempting to go in and check out the selection, but not with the groom in tow.

Further down the street, Laura noticed a large sign with fancy script writing in front of a long wooden staircase that was considerably more plain. "Is that where Doc Adams lived?" she asked, seeing the advertisement for the general practice and surgery services of Robert Caldemeyer, MD.

"It sure is," Matt responded. "Dr. Caldemeyer is a fine physician, but there'll never be another Doc Adams." Kitty quietly nodded her approval. "I told Matt…Mister Dillon…um, your father—that you loved science and might be interested in becoming a doctor." She awkwardly stumbled over the sentence, aware that Laura was still unsure what to call him.

"Yes, a doctor or maybe a science teacher," Laura added. "I like the idea of getting young girls excited about science. We're just as smart as boys but aren't encouraged to show it." Matt couldn't help but feel a burst of pride at her comment, said with an air of confidence but not an ounce of conceit. This girl was her mother made over, and that was a very good thing.

"Matthew, Miss Kitty!" came a voice from behind them. Festus was waving at them from the porch in front of the jail, and they walked over to join him.

"This is the marshal's office," Kitty informed her daughter after she greeted Festus. Laura peeked through the window at the small room and could just see the jail cells in the back.

"Did you keep any famous outlaws here?" she asked Matt.

"Oh, probably none you've ever heard of," he guessed. "We locked up our share of criminals here for sure, but nobody like Jesse James or Billy the Kid."

"Now Matthew here's just bein' way too humble," Festus claimed. "Why, your pa tracked down some o' the meanest killers'n robbers that Kansas ever seen, and he made sure they didn't never harm nobody again. I mean, there was this one time—"

"Thanks Festus," Matt interjected, appreciating the sentiment but not wanting to subject Laura to stories about thieves and murderers on her first day in Dodge. He did rather like the sound of Festus' casual reference—"your pa," and hoped for a day when Laura called him something other than Mister Dillon. "So what are you up to this fine morning?" he asked his former deputy.

"Well, Newly's over at the post office gettin' the new wanted posters. But I was just fixin' to tell ya that me'n him sent that wire to Judge Maddox just like you asked us to," he reported. "He's got this big ol' trial startin' a week from Monday, but he said if'n you're able to get this shindig together before then he'd be plum tickled to do the honors.

"Before next Monday?" Kitty repeated aloud. She looked at Matt with anticipation. "What do you think?"

"I don't see why not," Matt shrugged. "Seems to me that all we need is the judge and some friends and a place to have a little party. The details aren't so important, it's what comes after that matters."

Kitty couldn't agree more and contemplated the idea for a few seconds. "How about Saturday?" she suggested.

Matt turned to the friend he had known longer than anyone else in Dodge. "What do you say, Festus? Are you available next Saturday? I can't do this without my best man."

"Best man?" Festus echoed, as though he might not have heard it correctly. He swallowed hard and looked at Matt Dillon with pride. "I'd be right honored, Matthew." The two shook hands and confirmed the plans for the Dillon-Russell family to meet Festus and Newly for dinner at Delmonico's. It promised to be both a happy and sad occasion, with the obvious cause for celebration but also the unexpected news that they were not staying in Dodge past the wedding. Matt decided it might be a good idea to privately talk to the men before dinner about that, as well as a few other things that might be uncomfortable to discuss in front of Laura. He would come back when Newly was there, but right now it was time for the most poignant stop on Laura's tour of her mother's past.

It was late morning, and The Long Branch wouldn't open for another hour. But if Kitty knew Hannah, she'd already be downstairs working on books or taking inventory, just as Kitty had done almost every day for the better part of seventeen years. They stopped in front of the saloon and Matt pointed to the sign. "I'll never forget the first day I saw your mother's name on that sign. I was so proud of her I could hardly stand it." Kitty smiled at the memory.

"Nobody could have run this place better than she did," he bragged to Laura. "I'm happy to say Hannah has kept it going strong."

"Where did you live?" Laura wondered. She thought Kitty had once mentioned living above the saloon she ran, but that had been a long time ago and they hadn't talked much about it since.

Kitty pointed to a window on the second floor. "That was my room, right up there."

"You lived in one room?" she marveled. Their house in New Orleans wasn't huge, but it was sure a lot more than one room.

"It was a different time, a different life," Kitty answered, honestly but vaguely. "I was grateful to have one nice room to myself."

A different life indeed, especially in the early days. She obviously had not told Laura everything, the way she had started and what she had to do to support herself before she saved enough money to buy into the business. There was no point in burdening a child with such details. It was ancient history now.

Matt led the way through the batwing doors, Laura and Kitty right behind him. Hannah was sitting at a table with her glasses on, immersed in a ledger book. She glanced up at the sound of the swinging doors and immediately broke out into a smile.

"There they are!" she gushed, rising from her table. "I heard some exciting news this morning!"

"You and the rest of the town," Kitty joked as she hugged the woman she had wisely entrusted with the business she had built with sweat and tears. Matt leaned down and gave the woman a kiss on the cheek. "Hello Hannah. I'd like you to meet Laura." He assumed no further explanation was warranted—everyone seemed to know who she was, if not how she came to be.

Hannah looked Laura up and down. "You're the spittin' image of your mama, just like everybody said. Lucky you took after that side!" she said with a cackle, ribbing Matt with her elbow.

"Oh, you'll get no argument from me on that," Matt responded lightheartedly.

Laura had never been inside a saloon before, and it was smaller than she had imagined. She scanned the room, and when she saw the piano she began picturing her mother serving drinks to lively music or descending the staircase in one of those old frilly dresses she had seen in her closet. What an experience that must have been.

"Hannah, we need your help," Kitty began. "We're getting married on Saturday, and—"

"Saturday?" Hannah interrupted loudly. "Ya waited this long, what's the big hurry?"

They had to admit she had a point, but they had their reasons. "You don't think I'm going to give her time to change her mind, do you?" Matt teased. "We'd sure appreciate it if we could have a party here Saturday after the ceremony. We'll pay for everything."

"Well of course the party'll be here," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "But your money is no good. This one's on me."

"Oh, we couldn't do that," Kitty insisted.

Hannah put her hands on her hips. "Pardon me, Miss Russell, but I own this saloon now and I get to say who pays for what," she replied with good humored sassiness.

Kitty folded her arms with mock indignation . "Matt, you never told me I sold this place to such a stubborn, difficult woman."

"I know Honey, it's like you never left," he smirked playfully as Laura dissolved into laughter. She had no idea her father could be so funny.

After some friendly bargaining, they agreed that Matt and Kitty would pay for food and Hannah would supply the drinks. They chatted for some time over coffee, discussing the party as well as sharing stories about raucous times at The Long Branch Saloon. Laura listened attentively, with vivid tales of drunken fights and gunfire coming alive in her mind.

"Weren't you scared?" she asked her mother.

"Sure, sometimes," Kitty answered honestly. "But I knew the odds were in my favor. You see, the marshal came in to check on me quite often. It was my secret weapon."

"That and a big shotgun," Matt cracked. "She knew how to use it, too." Laura didn't find that hard to believe.

"More coffee?" Hannah offered as she noticed the empty cups.

"No, I think we'd better get going," Kitty replied, standing up. "It seems our week just got rather busy!"

"Thanks again, Hannah, we appreciate your help," Matt reiterated. They left The Long Branch and headed back up the street. "I saw you ladies eyeing those dresses in the window earlier. Why don't you go back and do some shopping?" Matt suggested. It would give him a chance to talk to Newly and Festus in private.

"Can we, Mama?" Laura asked expectantly.

"We sure can," Kitty told her, and the two Russell women set out to start putting together a wedding.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Family Matters

Chapter 7

An ancient superstition claimed that it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony. Matt had never been a superstitious man, and that had not changed as he knocked on the door to Room 12 of The Dodge House. He was wearing the stylish suit he had worn when they reconnected at dinner last week and jokingly credited with helping him to woo her back. His relationship with Kitty had survived every conceivable obstacle and a few unconceivable ones, including a sixteen year separation, so he was willing to bet that they could survive seeing each other on the morning of their happiest day. If he had fear of anything, it was that she and Laura had overslept and their guests would be standing around waiting for them.

October in Dodge City was completely unpredictable. It could be warm and sunny, cool and breezy, or gray and rainy—sometimes all in the same day. Planning any outdoor activity was risky, but after careful thought the bride and groom had decided to take their chances. They would hold their wedding under the tall oak trees next to the lake where their first date had occurred, perhaps with descendants of the fish they had caught that afternoon swimming through its fresh waters.

As luck would have it—or fate, some believed—Saturday turned out to be one of the most beautiful days of autumn. After a crisp morning, temperatures reached 70 degrees by noon with not a cloud in sight. In just a few days they had managed to get a judge, buy dresses, find a musician, plan a party, and issue invitations by word of mouth that promised to result in a respectable crowd despite the short notice. Matt Dillon was still a considerable presence in the community, and those who didn't know Kitty Russell personally certainly knew of her. Word of the impending nuptials had spread like wildfire among old friends, new friends, and curious townspeople.

Kitty quickly opened the door, to Matt's relief. She had chosen a silk beige dress with dusty rose undertones that were sure to shimmer in the bright sunlight. It had caught her attention the instant she walked into the shop, uncomplicated yet elegant and not too pricey. The pearl necklace and earrings she had in her jewelry case provided the perfect accents, both fully visible with her hair loosely swept up in a soft bun with curls around her face. Laura was delighted to be able to choose the yellow and brown dress she had seen in the window that first day, a stark contrast to the fiery red hair that hung well below the shoulders.

"I don't think I've ever seen two prettier women in one room," Matt remarked at the sight of his almost wife and daughter, and he couldn't have meant it more. There was no doubt in his mind at that moment that he was the luckiest man on earth.

"You clean up pretty well too, Cowboy," Kitty retorted as she brushed a stray hair off his suitcoat. "Why, you're almost fit for courting." It was an old private joke, one he got immediately, and they laughed and held hands as they headed down to a buggy that would carry them the twenty minutes or so to their destination.

Festus and Newly were already outside, loading up a wagon with some chairs that Hannah had loaned them to bring for older guests. Most people wouldn't mind standing, it was to be a short and simple ceremony with the main socializing and celebrating to be done at The Long Branch afterwards. Hannah had ordered quite a spread and instructed her barkeep to break out the best bottles of everything, including an aged French wine she had been saving for a special occasion.

Matt's conversation with Festus and Newly had gone as well as he could have expected. They were not happy about his leaving, but they understood. He told them as much about Laura as Kitty wanted to share, so the tone was set for dinner that evening to be a happy reunion with old friends as well as getting to know a new one. Matt was not comfortable with sentimental toasts and tearful farewells, and he had warned his friends that he was trusting them to keep the atmosphere light and cheerful at the wedding reception. This wasn't goodbye, it was so long for now. Much had changed in the years they had known each other-trains were faster, telephones allowed for direct conversations from miles away, and retirement meant that vacations were possible any time. He would be leasing his farm and coming back often to check on that as well. And someday, when Laura was grown and off becoming that doctor or science teacher, he and Kitty would settle back in the town they would always call home.

Festus didn't own a suit but had his smart looking light gray jacket and a new white shirt to go underneath it. Newly lent him a black tie, and with his one good pair of dark gray pants it looked like an ensemble that might have been professionally assembled instead of piecemeal. Newly wore his fanciest pin stripe suit for his honored duty of escorting the bride. After admiring each other for a few minutes, everyone climbed into their rigs and headed for the lake.

At least a dozen people had arrived early, and two of the Roniger girls—now women—had gathered a colorful bouquet of wildflowers for the bride and her daughter to carry. Bess and Will were both gone and most of their sizeable clan had moved to other cities, but all who were able had come. Kitty enjoyed a tearful reunion with the children of her dear friend as Matt shook hands with Judge Maddox and the other men set up the chairs. Every few minutes another buggy arrived, and soon people were searching for places to secure their horses.

Kitty mingled with the guests, introducing Laura and reconnecting with her past. She was overwhelmed with sincere sentiments and well wishes from people she never dreamed would still care. She had indeed left her imprint on Dodge during her years there, and it hadn't disappeared when she had those many years ago.

A tap on the shoulder caused her to pardon herself mid-sentence to greet the latest guest seeking her attention. She turned around to see her groom and figured it must be time to get started.

"I'll be there in one minute," she promised, holding up a finger.

"But I need to give you your present before the ceremony," he whispered in her ear. Kitty frowned. "I thought we agreed no presents?"

"Oh, I think you'll approve of this one." Matt stepped aside to reveal a man behind him, tall and lanky with salt and pepper hair and matching moustache. Kitty gasped and raised a hand to her mouth. "Is it really you?" she exclaimed in a shaky voice.

"Well if it ain't, Mister Dillon's gonna be awful mad about them train tickets," quipped Chester Goode with a delightfully familiar ear to ear grin. Kitty threw her arms around him and the two embraced hard for several seconds. Matt watched with warm satisfaction, grateful that Chester had been available to make the trip from Colorado at the last minute. Chester was retired now too, from a successful career as a judge's assistant in Denver. It had been a difficult decision to leave his friends in Dodge some twenty-four years ago, but Matt knew he couldn't offer him that kind of opportunity and reluctantly encouraged him to take it. Matt had stayed in close touch with Chester ever since, but when Kitty left for New Orleans they had sadly, though understandably, drifted apart. This was the best present Matt could possibly have given her.

"Miss Kitty, I'd like you to meet my wife, Millie," Chester gestured proudly to the pretty petite brunette standing next to him. She had kind eyes and an equally toothy grin and looked exactly like the sort of woman everyone hoped Chester would find after his string of bad luck romances as a young man in Dodge. They had met the year after Chester moved to Denver and were married shortly after, having two sons who were now grown.

"It's awful nice to meet you, Miss Kitty," Millie said sweetly, extending her hand. "Chester has told me so very much about you, and I'm just thrilled we could be here for such a happy event." She had the kind of voice that instantly put one at ease, and Kitty hoped this was but one of many visits she and Matt would have with Mr. and Mrs. Chester Goode.

"So am I," Kitty replied, squeezing her hand.

"Shall we begin?" came the booming voice of the Honorable Judge Grady Maddox, loudly enough to attract the attention of the scattered crowd. Matt and Kitty gave each other one final look before becoming husband and wife. "I'm ready if you are," Kitty announced. "Honey, I've been ready for a long time," he returned, giving her a kiss on the cheek before heading over to take his place in front of the judge.

The crowd quickly found suitable places to stand or sit, split almost evenly on each side of the officiant, making a row down the middle. The lake glistened to their left, and bright leaves of red, yellow, and orange lightly rustled in the gentle breeze. Judge Maddox nodded to Butch Ledbedder, who began a slow, deliberate rendition of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March," on the fiddle he normally used to play barn dances. He had spent two days perfecting the piece on the instrument he now proudly called a violin.

Matt stood straight and tall with Festus by his side. Laura took her place up front and then Newly extended his arm and—_finally_-escorted Miss Kitty Russell and her bouquet of Kansas wildflowers to the man she had surely been destined to marry. Chester winked at her from the front and she winked back. Judge Maddox began the ceremony with the words everyone had become accustomed to hearing at such occasions. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here…"

Unsurprisingly, not a single attendee interjected with any reason this man and this woman should not be united in matrimony, with good-natured laughs at the mention. Each in turn, Matt and Kitty promised to love, cherish, and honor, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, forsaking all others, until death. Laura cracked a smile at the omission of the word "obey" in Kitty's vows, typically uttered by all brides during a wedding ceremony. Her parents were clearly anything but typical, and that was fine by her. Matt slipped a plain gold band over Kitty's finger, one she had chosen herself after careful consideration. She owned more fancy rings with jewels than she could count, but at this stage in her life nothing seemed quite as beautiful on her finger as that simple, universal symbol of commitment.

When Matt Dillon kissed his wife for the very first time, the group erupted in cheers. Butch began playing an upbeat ditty and Festus led the crowd in a dance. Laura hugged her father without provocation, with a budding affection that had grown in the days she had spent getting to know him. She still had a few things to figure out, but she had high hopes for this family of hers. The usually stoic former marshal held onto his daughter as though he might never let go. At last, his life was complete.

Judge Maddox had traveled to Dodge with a friend, whom he introduced to the couple after the ceremony. "Matt, Miss Russell—excuse me, _Mrs_. Dillon—this is John Quinlan, a photographer from the Hays City _Free Press_. I thought you might enjoy having some keepsakes from your special day, so I hope you'll accept his services as my gift to you."

"Photographs!" Kitty squealed. The idea of being able to actually see the faces of her friends and family on this day for years to come filled her with excitement, and what a lovely treasure to pass on to Laura. "That's mighty nice of you, Grady," Matt expressed appreciatively. "Just tell us what to do."

Mr. Quinlan opened up a large black case and began assembling its pieces. "Why don't you gather up a few people and we'll start with some pictures next to the lake. Give me a little time to get set up."

Kitty and Matt knew exactly what they wanted, and a few minutes later a small group stood by the lake, fixing hair, smoothing coats and dresses, adjusting ties, and figuring out where they should stand so that no one was blocked from view.

"Move in a little closer," Mr. Quinlan instructed as he peered through the tiny window of his contraption, and they obliged. Matt Dillon found himself wedged in the center of a small crowd that he couldn't have imagined even a short time ago would be happily standing together at this event. There was Chester Goode, the assistant who was with him in the very beginning when a fresh faced beauty stepped off that stage and changed his life forever; Festus Haggen, the trusted deputy and stalwart friend who had never wavered in his support of the couple, even when it seemed hopeless; Newly O'Brien, loyal and capable protégé who had made it possible for him to finally pry that badge off his chest and discover a whole new life of desires and opportunities; Kitty Russell, his one and only, the woman he stupidly let go forever until fate stepped in and gave him another chance; and his beautiful, precious Laura, conceived in love, whose youthful inexperience had led to a foolish decision that now seemed almost predestined to reunite her parents. They were all here—his past, his present, and his future.

There was one person missing. Matt wrestled his arm out of its tight quarters with some effort and reached into his vest pocket. He pulled out a gold watch, the one Doc Adams had carried for his many years in Dodge and had given to Matt before he died. Doc would have enjoyed this day more than anyone, and by golly he was going to be in this picture too.

"Very good," Mr. Quinlan remarked as the group held their poses. "Now hold it…hold it…"

*Flash*

The End


End file.
